Something to Prove
by Ghosthack
Summary: Three months after Clementine returns to Richmond, Gabe convinces Javi that he's ready to join her on perimeter patrol. But when his first outing with the group goes awry, he'll have to step up like never before. (Post-New Frontier)
1. Best Intentions

Chapter 1 – Best Intentions

Gabe couldn't remember the last time he'd been this nervous. Or this excited. For weeks now he'd been practically begging Javi for this opportunity, and now the day had finally come. His first time on perimeter patrol. This was his chance to step up and really participate in ensuring the continued safety of Richmond. To prove that he could contribute just as much as anyone else. The fact that Javi had made sure he was assigned to Clementine's patrol group was just an added bonus. (And yeah okay, so maybe he'd asked Javi to make sure he and Clem were in the same group, what of it?) If he was lucky, maybe he'd finally get the chance to impress her for a change, instead of always fumbling around and saying dumb shit. As exciting as that prospect may have been however, Gabe was fully aware of just how important this job really was, and he was determined not to screw it up.

About a month ago, he'd cornered Clementine, expressing his interest in volunteering for one of the patrol groups, and asked if she'd be willing to teach him some things. The proper way to handle a gun, the best aiming techniques, tracking and navigating tips, survival strategies. He was always amazed by all the things she seemed to know. At this point, he was convinced that there was nothing Clementine couldn't do. At first he'd been worried she'd tell him that it wasn't a good idea. That maybe he wasn't cut out for this kind of thing. Or worse, that he'd just be in the way. But to his surprise, she'd been more than happy to help him out.

" _I think it's great that you wanna get involved. Bout time you got off your ass and did something productive."_

" _I'll have you know that my ass is very productive."_

" _That's... the kinda thing you might wanna keep to yourself, Gabe."_

" _What? Why would I… **That's not what I meant!** "_

If there ever came a day when he didn't embarrass himself in front of Clementine, the world just might come to an end. Again.

Since then, the two of them had been practicing nearly every day and honestly, Gabe was pretty pleased with his own progress. But even with all his hard work, it had still taken Clementine vouching for him to convince Javi to let him join the patrol volunteers. Not that he wasn't grateful to Clem for sticking up for him, but sometimes he just wished Javi would stop treating him like some stupid little kid. Yeah it's just cause Javi cares about him, he knows. Doesn't make the situation any less obnoxious.

Kate, on the other hand, was still not on board with the idea. Javi had overrode her on this one, and boy had he been getting an earful for the last few nights about it. But none of that mattered now because today was the day. And after this, there'd never have to be any debate about whether or not he was good enough to help out ever again.

The sun shone brightly in a clear sky as Gabe made his way from the apartment building his family now called home, down to the barracks where a patrol briefing was to take place. Javi had offered to accompany him, but Gabe didn't think it would look too good to show up for his first mission escorted by his 'dad.' He didn't want to give the people with whom he'd soon be working any reason to think he couldn't pull his weight. Some small part of him recognized how hard he was obsessing over this, but he just couldn't help it. This was his moment, and if he screwed it up, it may very well be his only moment. He couldn't even imagine what he'd have to do to convince Javi to give him another chance if he didn't get this right. And Kate? There wouldn't be any chance with her at all.

 _That's okay though, cause I've totally got this. No worries. No pressure. No problem_.

 _Yeah,_ _ **right**_.

Shrugging off any negative thoughts as best he could, Gabe rounded a now familiar street corner, fully bringing his destination into view. A two-story structure used to house weapons and supplies for Richmond's militia, runners, and most recently, perimeter patrol. Drawing nearer to the building, he was met with the sight of a few dozen or so people milling about, preparing for the day's runs. Perimeter patrol was a relatively new concept, introduced not too long after Javi had officially settled into position as Richmond's new leader. An offshoot of the town's overall militia and composed entirely of volunteers, all of whom were trained before being assigned their first missions, the goal of the patrol was to bolster security by periodically scouting the surrounding area for signs of potential dangers. Hostile groups, herds of muertos, that kinda thing. While the previous militia, under his father's leadership, had been gradually clearing more and more of the surrounding city before all this, it apparently hadn't been enough to properly prepare the town when a herd came bearing down on them. Javi was determined that nothing like that ever happened again.

So far, it was proving to be a successful experiment. Since its inception, 'Double P', as it was sometimes called, had managed to redirect two smaller herds, and even discovered a warehouse several miles out that hadn't been raided yet. They'd gradually been venturing out further and further from the city's walls, with the eventual goal of setting up security outposts at various locations. Recently though, patrols had reported contact with an unknown group on the outskirts of the city, and that contact had _not_ been friendly. Two militia groups were being sent out today to deal with the problem, and although the main goal was only to drive this group out of Richmond's territory, some kind of violent altercation was pretty much inevitable. Even though his group was not one of the two who would have any contact with these unknowns, just the knowledge that they were out there was the main reason Kate was so against this, he knew. Gabe could admit that he was a little nervous about it as well, but he'd been preparing for this for too long to let some assholes come along and disrupt his plans. Besides, if things got rough, he'd have Clementine by his side.

When she'd first returned to Richmond three months ago, joining the patrol was one of the first things she had done. Clementine was apparently never content unless she was actively engaged in something dangerous. Or at least, that's how it seemed to him sometimes. But he supposed when you're as badass as Clem, it just kinda comes naturally. He'd been hoping he could catch her earlier this morning and walk to the barracks with her, but by the time he'd woke up, she had already dropped off AJ with Javi and Kate and left, saying she needed to show up early to help with the route planning. Not too surprising. In the short time she'd been back, Clem had already made quite an impression on the militia. So much so that they frequently called upon her to help out with various tasks. She was well on her way to becoming a patrol leader at this point. He couldn't be more proud of her, but sometimes he found himself wishing that she had a little more time to spend with _him._ He consistently ignored the annoyingly persistent part of his brain that suggested perhaps she didn't spend more time with him because she just didn't want to.

The sound of his name being called from a short distance away snapped him out of his musings. Looking up he was greeted with the welcome sight of Clementine waving him over to her from inside the building. Smiling, Gabe picked up his pace and quickly crossed the distance between them, entering the barracks through the open double doors. Her smile was practically beaming as she greeted him. He thinks he could die happy if only she'd look at him like that every single day.

"Hey, dork. You finally decide to get up this morning?" she teased as he came within easy earshot.

"Ya know, some people actually like to get a _decent_ amount of sleep. I happen to be one of them." he quipped in reply.

The easy camaraderie between them had only increased since her return. A fact Gabe was immensely grateful for. He'd worried that whatever spark of friendship that had sprung up between them would dissipate while she was out there doing who knows what. But they'd picked up right where they left off, almost as if she'd never been gone at all. Minus the part were he spent all that time missing her and worrying himself to death.

"You mean _some_ people just like to be _lazy_." Clementine responded with a smirk. Poking him lightly in the chest. "And by some people I mean you."

"Oh, thanks for clearing that up, cause I was _so sure_ you were talking about someone else."

Laughing outright at that, Clementine momentarily returned her attention to the table of weapons she'd been inspecting before she had spotted Gabe. Satisfied for now, she holstered her own pistol, turning back to him with a sincere smile. She could tell by the way he was standing that he was nervous. Hands shoved in the pockets of his coat to keep them from fidgeting, eyes roaming over everything around him but unable to focus on any one thing. And it wasn't nearly hot enough for him to be sweating as much as he was.

"So, you ready for this?" she asked.

Her questioned startled him slightly, so caught up in trying to settle his nerves. After a few seconds spent staring dumbly at her (which earned him an amused smile), he fumbled through a response.

"Uh… yeah! Sure! Totally. I am… _more_ than ready."

"Oh yeah, _that_ was convincing."

"Shut up."

Taking a step toward him, Clementine reached out a hand and rested it on his shoulder, and pretended not to notice when he jumped slightly at the contact.

"Don't worry about it. You're gonna do fine, I know it."

She sounded so sincere when she said it. Like she really believed it. And despite the rolling ball of anxiety in his gut, Gabe found that it was impossible to stay in a bad mood when she was smiling at him like that.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. For everything, I mean. I wouldn't even be getting this chance if it weren't for you."

"Sure you would. You wouldn't have the first clue what you were doing without my guidance, but you'd still get a chance."

His only response was to send her an unimpressed look.

"Alright, alright. I'm stop ribbing you. For now. But seriously, Gabe. You're gonna do just fine. And I'll be right there with you..." She trailed off slightly at the end of her sentence, seemingly uncharacteristically unsure of herself for a moment, before continuing. "I mean, if that helps you any."

"Of course it helps! I'd probably be pissing my pants right now if I had to do this without you!" he exclaimed, baffled as to how she could possibly think anything else.

"Well alright then. That settles it. You have _nothing_ to worry about. Trust me. Patrol duty is actually kinda boring most of the time. Just a lot of walking and a lot of searching for things that usually aren't actually there."

He nodded at her statement, but otherwise didn't respond. Frowning slightly and crossing her arms, Clementine decided to get straight to the root of the matter.

"You're still worried about that unknown group from the other day."

Looking up at her, Gabe couldn't hide the sting of shame he felt at her statement. Scuffing his shoe against a worn spot on the floor, he sighed.

"Yeah. I know it's stupid… I mean, we're not gonna be anywhere near them but-"

"It's not stupid. They've proven themselves to be dangerous, and there's definitely gonna be a fight of some kind today. It's good that you're being cautious. Caution is the first step to being prepared. But, if you don't wanna do this now, you can always try again later. It's not a big deal."

"No. I'm definitely doing this. If I back out now…" he hesitated for a moment, struggling to form his thoughts into coherent sentences. Clementine waited patiently for him to find his words. "I just really wanna do this. I _need_ to do this. Even if it turns out that patrol duty isn't for me. I can't really explain it, this is just something I really need to do. For myself."

"I get it. I really do. And hey," she paused for a second until he was looking at her before continuing. "I just want you to know that I'm really proud of you."

Immediately he felt his face heat up, hoping for a moment that maybe she wouldn't notice. No such luck if the expression on her face was anything to go by. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he mumbled his thanks.

Relaxing her pose and uncrossing her arms, Clementine lightly bumped his shoulder with hers.

"Just keep your guard up, do what the patrol leader says, and stay close to me. You'll be fine."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Gabe finally relaxed his stiff posture and removed his hands from his coat pockets. If Clementine could have confidence in his abilities, then the least he could do was muster up some of his own.

"You're right. As usual. So, what happens first?"

* * *

The briefing had been short and to the point, but it did give Gabe an opportunity to see all the people he'd be working with, as well as the patrol leaders. Standing amongst the crowd listening to a rundown of what each subgroup would be doing that day, he'd never felt so unprepared. He was easily the youngest person in the entire room. Well, except for Clementine. Sometimes he forgot she was younger than him. But he was most definitely the most inexperienced. The patrol volunteers ranged in age from young adult to middle age, and even a few that may have been older, it was hard to tell. Most would be relying solely on their own individual experiences out in the world to combat the dangers outside the wall, but quite a few had been members of his father's militia. Those who hadn't know about what Joan had been doing. Gabe felt intimidated by the whole lot of them, but it was these ex-militia that he was most uncomfortable around. Whether it was their past association with the people who'd tried to kill him and his family, or just the fact that out of everyone else, these people really knew what they were doing, he didn't know. He'd found himself stepping closer to Clementine unconsciously throughout the briefing, until he accidentally brushed his hand against hers. She didn't seem to pay any attention to the contact, and why should she, they were surrounded by people on all sides. Gabe on the other hand, had spent the rest of the meeting desperately fighting down a blush, which succeeded in distracting him from how uncomfortable he'd felt. So he supposed it all worked out.

After the briefing, everyone had been instructed to pick up their weapons and head for the main gate. Gabe found it best to just follow Clementine's lead for now. Or maybe forever, she always seemed to know what she was doing. Minutes later Gabe found himself exiting the main gate with a much smaller group heading north, navigating around the various obstructions littering the street. The group gradually spread out as the confinement of the city streets eventually gave way to more open space. Leaving the cover of the tall city buildings sent a shiver of unease down his back. The rifle felt unnatural in his hands, despite how much time he'd spent holding one these last few weeks. He'd thought he was ready for this, but now that he was actually here, he just couldn't shake the feeling that something awful was going to happen. A quick glance around revealed that while everyone else was on their guard, nobody looked the least bit nervous. Clementine walked just slightly ahead of him to his left, her stride confident and her eyes alert for danger.

He tried to emulate her calm, only for his concentration to be ruined when his foot snagged on a rock sending him pitching forward awkwardly. He didn't fall, but he may as well have for how stupid he felt afterwards. His fumbling earned him a few chuckles from the people who'd been walking closest to him, and although he knew they hadn't meant anything by it, at the moment Gabe wanted nothing more than to crawl in a hole and die. Such a childish thought only served to make him feel worse which just increased his desire to find that hole.

Shooting a glare at a man to their right who apparently found this situation just hilarious, Clementine turned back to Gabe, reaching out a hand to help him right himself. He gratefully accepted her hand, but couldn't bear to look her in the eye. So much for his plans of impressing her.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah. My pride may never recover, though."

Her reply, whatever it may have been, was interrupted by the continued heckling of the guy to their right. Good-natured ribbing or not, Gabe was really beginning to dislike the guy. Worse yet, the man's amusement was encouraging others to join him in mocking the boy's clumsiness. Gabe felt his face heat up, a combination of embarrassment and anger mixing with his lingering anxiety to form a heady concoction. He wanted nothing more than to yell at the guy, but somehow he knew if he opened him mouth in such a state he'd only embarrass himself further. Luckily for him, Clementine came to his rescue, as she so often did.

"Can it, Rogers!" she yelled. Voice loud enough to reach the ears of everyone in their group. "Don't think I've forgot about the time you thought you saw a snake out here. Tripped over your own stupid feet in a panic, _ripped your pants_ on a tree root trying to get away from it, and then had to spend the rest of patrol with your ass hanging out for the whole world to see. And it wasn't even really a snake. It was _a stick_."

Clementine's outburst had the desired effect, sending the entire patrol group into roars of laughter, and successfully cowing the obnoxious man known as Rogers. Satisfied, she lightly bumped her shoulder against Gabe's, smiling triumphantly at him when he turned to face her. And just like that, the tension that had been plaguing him since the briefing that morning was broken. He smiled back enthusiastically, mouthing a thank you. Nodding to him, Clementine repositioned her grip on her rifle and resumed walking, Gabe following on her heels.


	2. Knee Deep

Chapter 2 – Knee Deep

The next few hours were blessedly uneventful. Gabe managed to keep up without tripping over anything else, and everyone seemed to have forgotten his earlier misstep. They hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary so far, and so Clementine had taken the opportunity to try and familiarize him with the route they were taking. Pointing out landmarks, trails, and potential hazards along the way. By this time, the majority of the actual city was far behind them, with only a few stray signs of Old World civilization dotting the landscape here and there. Nature had most definitely reclaimed this territory for her own. Thick grass, large trees, and heavy brush now taking the place of buildings, cars, and concrete. The sight was somehow serene and unsettling at the same time. The bright rays of the sun were gradually choked out as they ventured further into the canopy of trees, allowing a slight chill to settle in. Despite himself, Gabe felt unease creeping up on him. They were nowhere near the last reported sighting of the unknown hostiles, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone out here.

 _Well of course we aren't alone. This place is probably teeming with animals. You're getting worked up over nothing._

After putting a few more yards behind them, the patrol leader called for a lunch break in a small clearing. Once straws were drawn to determined who was unlucky enough to get assigned guard duty, everyone settled in for a short respite. Gabe was only slightly surprised when Clementine settled underneath a tree a little ways off from everyone else. He knew most people in the patrol groups liked her, but he also knew that she was having a bit of trouble getting used to socializing again. He had noticed her tendency to distance herself from large gatherings, and how she usually preferred to do her work alone if possible. He didn't think she even realized she was doing it, to be honest. It made him kind of sad, when he really stopped to think about it.

Gabe liked being around people. It was one of the best parts of living in Richmond. Being able to look around and see other people who were still living, still surviving. It was a good feeling. It made him believe that maybe humanity could actually beat this thing one day. Even when he was in a bad mood (which he can admit, was quite often), he still preferred knowing there was someone close by. Clementine on the other hand seemed like she'd be perfectly content with just herself. And AJ, of course. She'd told him once that she'd been on her own for a long time before meeting Javi, so he supposed she was just used to it. That didn't mean he had to like it, though. Clementine was far too amazing and wonderful to be alone all the time. He tried to be there for her, but half the time he just ended up feeling like he was in her way. That she was just putting up with him to be polite so she didn't hurt his feelings. It was this thought that caused him to pause suddenly mid-step, unsure if he should sit down beside her or let her have her privacy. He'd been practically glued to her side all day. Surely she was tired of him by now.

Before he could properly make up his mind about what to do, Clementine looked up from examining her lunch bag, raising an eyebrow when she found him just standing there awkwardly. They stared at each other for a moment, before she broke the odd silence.

"What are you doing over there?" she asked, her voice full of amusement.

"Uh, I just… ya know. I thought maybe you might want to eat alone? I mean I've probably been bugging the shit out of you all day, so. Yeah."

She looked genuinely surprised for a moment, and maybe even a little hurt. Immediately he felt a twinge of panic. Had he hurt her feelings somehow? That's the last thing he'd ever want to do. But the look was gone from her face as quickly as it had come.

She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes at him. "That's the dumbest thing you've ever said to me. And that's really saying something. Now get over here, you big dork. Ol' slave driver over there doesn't give us much time to scarf down our food."

Smiling in relief, Gabe quickly jogged over and sat beside her under the shade of the tree. Retrieving his own lunch from his backpack, the two of them settled into a comfortable silence as they ate. Kate had insisted on packing him a lunch that morning, and although he'd initially been embarrassed at the prospect, he was now immensely grateful that she had. He hadn't even really thought about eating out here when he had been getting his gear together, so caught up in not screwing everything up. Clementine had even reminded him that he needed to bring his own lunch just the other day, but apparently he'd forgot. Guilt lodged itself uncomfortably in his gut for a moment. He'd given Kate a lot of grief that morning about babying him. He'd have to apologize and thank her when he got home. Glancing over in curiosity as Clementine unwrapped her own lunch, Gabe found himself smiling when he recognized what she'd brought with her.

"I see Kate packed you a lunch too, huh?"

"Yeah." she said, smirking slightly at the thought. "She handed me a bag full of stuff when I brought AJ over this morning. Told her I already had food packed, but apparently she and Javi didn't think it was enough."

Well, that's two things he'd have to thank Kate for when he got home. Since Clementine had been back, it had become an unspoken rule in the García household to do whatever they could to take care of her. Even if it was just something small. As far as they were concerned, Clem was one of the family, even if she tried to deny it. In fact, Javi had been on a mission for the last three months to convince Clem to move in with them. They had plenty of room, but she always turned the offer down. Her excuses ran the gamut.

" _It's okay, I'm fine on my own. Really."_

" _I don't wanna intrude."_

" _AJ tends to cry a lot, I wouldn't wanna keep everyone up all night."_

" _I'm a really bad roommate. You'd get sick of me pretty quickly."_

On its own, Gabe wouldn't think too much of her persistent refusal, but it was just one of many ways in which Clementine tried to keep everyone at arm's length. She avoided any community events, and didn't really spend time with anyone outside of work, despite how much most people seemed to like her. She was trying her best to live in Richmond without actually being part of the _community_. She contributed plenty, always pulled her own weight and worked harder than anyone he knew, but there always seemed to be an impenetrable wall between her and everyone else. And sometimes when Javi asked her over for dinner or a movie or something, she'd get this look in her eyes for a split second. Maybe he was just seeing things, but to Gabe it always looked like _fear_. Maybe even panic. Almost like she was afraid of what might happen if she said yes. He could understand her being afraid of getting too close to people, but he'd hoped that he and his family might be exceptions. He'd hoped that _he_ might be an exception.

Glancing discreetly in her direction, he couldn't suppress a smile. Seems like smiling was all he could do around her most days. She was always beautiful, but the sunlight filtering through the tree leaves above them accentuated her in a way that had him riveted. The pleasant breeze and light birdsong in the distance were the perfect compliment to the sight before him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recognized that this was the _perfect moment_ , he just wasn't sure for what. But one thing he was sure of, he would _never_ give up on her. She was stubborn, and frustrating sometimes, but little moments like this made it all worth it. He'd continue to be her friend, even when she acted like she didn't want one. And secretly, he'd continue to hope that one day maybe he could be more. For a good thirty seconds he simply started at her, his lunch held loosely in his hands, long forgotten. The dopey expression on his face earned him a few quiet chuckles from a group sitting across from them, but they could've been a thousand miles away for all the attention he paid them.

As if sensing his eyes on her, Clementine turned from her food to face him, pausing with her mouth full when she noticed him staring. He felt his smile grow at the sight of her cheeks all stuffed with food, and the slight 'deer in the headlights' look as she was caught unawares. In the few times she'd been convinced to come over to his place for dinner, he'd learned that Clementine was not a dainty eater in the slightest. He found this little detail strangely endearing. When he continued to smile at her without saying anything, Clementine raised an eyebrow at him.

" _What?_ " she asked.

Or at least, he's pretty sure that's what she'd said. It was kinda hard to tell with her mouth full like that. Shaking his head in amusement, he waved her off.

"Nothing, nothing. Just eat your food."

Mumbling something about him being weird under her breath (again, it was hard to tell exactly what she was saying), Clementine returned to devouring her lunch. Attempting to snap himself out of his stupor, Gabe decided that he'd better do the same, before the patrol leader called an end to their rest.

The rest of their break passed in relative quiet, occasionally punctuated by the jokes and laughter of those around them. True to Clementine's earlier claim, they'd barely finished eating when the patrol leader gave the signal to pack up and move out. With that, the two of them set about cleaning their mess and gathering their things, falling into light conversation as they did so.

"So, how much further out are we gonna go?" Gabe asked.

"Not too much further today. We're almost at the-"

Clementine's response was abruptly cut off by a loud bang, echoing furiously between the trees. It took Gabe a second to recognize the sound. _Gunshots_. Before he even knew what was happening, Clementine had grabbed his hand and jerked the two of them behind the tree they'd been eating under only a moment before. Somehow, he'd had the presence of mind to hold on to his rifle in the chaos. Slumped awkwardly against the rough bark of the old tree, he now clutched the weapon with a desperate, white-knuckle grip. By this time the sound of gunshots had multiplied as the others in their group had taken up positions and returned fire on their unseen assailants. A quick glance to his right revealed Clementine leaning around the other side of the tree's massive trunk, taking careful aim through the treeline in the distance. Only to jerk back suddenly with a loud curse as a bullet bit into the tree mere inches from her face, sending bits of wood flying in all directions. His friend's close call was enough to snap Gabe into action.

 _Get a grip, stupid! You can't just sit here useless while Clem's in danger! Get up and do something!_

Easing up into a crouching position, Gabe leaned closer to Clementine, yelling slightly in an attempt to be heard over all the noise.

"Can you see them?!"

" _Not really!"_ Clementine's frustrated reply came through clenched teeth. _"_ There's some movement in the treeline up that way," she gestured angrily in the direction she'd been firing. "but I'm basically just taking potshots at this point! _Son of a bitch!_ How the hell'd they sneak up on us like this?!"

In the distance Gabe was sure he could hear the voice of their patrol leader frantically shouting orders, but the cacophony of gunfire and screams made it impossible to make out his words. Everything was happening so fast. Gabe's head was spinning. Thoughts racing faster than he could keep up, and he wasn't sure what to do. As was so often the case lately, he turned to Clementine for direction. She was still attempting to return fire cautiously, mindful of incoming bullets and her own limited ammunition. Taking a deep breath, Gabe clutched his rifle tighter, readying himself to enter the fight. Closing his eyes for a second, he thought back to all the lessons Clem had taught him in the last few weeks. As the memories came, he gradually felt himself calm. He could do this. He wasn't alone. Clementine was counting on him to have her back. He couldn't let her down. Unclenching his hands from their death grip on his rifle, he repositioned them on the stock the way she'd showed him. A few more breaths later, he felt as ready as he'd ever be.

Opening his eyes, Gabe spun around on his heels, facing the direction the assault was coming from. Leaning cautiously around the tree trunk, he peered down the gun's sights at the treeline ahead. At first he couldn't see anything except trees. Resisting the urge to rush, he carefully scoped out the distant area, watching for any sign of moment. Tuning out the ruckus around him was proving to be a difficult endeavor. All around him people yelled and screamed, profanities and cries for help merged into one. A man to his right went down with a sharp cry, but he couldn't afford to take his eyes off the treeline. There wasn't anything he could do for the man even if he tried. After a few seconds, his patience was rewarded. A shadowed figure moving in the brush. It wasn't much, but at least it was something to shoot at. Taking careful aim, Gabe held his breath and squeezed the trigger. The recoil barely phased him after all the shooting practice he'd had lately, and for that he was grateful. He didn't need anything else messing with his concentration. He couldn't stop to think about his situation right now. He knew he'd start to freak out if he did. He had to stay focused. Clem had been trying to teach him this before.

" _When things get frantic, you can't afford to panic. Panic gets you killed. You have to stay focused. Find something to concentrate on. The weapon in your hand, the threat in front of you, whatever it may be. Anything, really. Just make sure you don't let your mind wonder."_

She made it sound so easy. Made it look easy too. Clementine _never_ lost her cool. Gabe barely had a cool to lose, most days. He just didn't know how she managed it.

After several long moments of exchanging fire passed with no real progress being made on either side, Gabe had to wonder what the end goal of their attackers actually was. At his side, Clementine ducked back behind the tree, quickly ejecting her rifle's magazine and exchanging it for a fresh one pulled from her back pocket.

"This is my last one. All our other ammo is in our bags. After this, I'm down to just my pistol." Her words were brimming over with barely suppressed frustration.

He hadn't even thought about that. They'd abandoned their bags in their haste to get to cover when the shooting started. Now the bags, and all their supplies, lay just on the other side of the tree they were crouched behind. But seeing as how said tree was the only thing between them and a bullet in the head, he didn't think there was any chance of retrieving them. It was only now that Gabe became painfully aware of the fact that he and Clem were essentially stuck where they were. They couldn't get out from behind this tree without being shot full of holes in less than a second. Desperately swallowing down his panic, Gabe resumed his firing position, searching in the distance for the telltale sign of hostiles.

 _Just stay focused on the task at hand. **Don't** fuck this up._

Without warning Gabe felt a sharp, stinging pain as something struck his exposed arm. Rocking back from the force of the blow, he landed painfully on his back, dropping his rifle in the process. Clementine was immediately at his side.

" _Gabe!_ Oh my God, _are you okay?!_ "

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed him by the collar of his coat and drug him sideways, ensuring his entire body was protected behind the cover of the tree. Spotting the rapidly spreading spot of red on his right upper arm, she leaned over his prone form, stretching the small hole in his coat sleeve to examine the wound beneath.

"It's not that bad, you're gonna be alright. I just need something to stop the bleeding." Her voice was shaky, but the relief in her tone was unmistakable. "Here, sit up a bit. I've gotta get your coat off."

As Clementine slipped her hands beneath his shoulders to help him up, Gabe's addled brain slowly began to catch up with his situation. A sharp pain. A force that knocked him back. Blood on his arm. _Holy shit_. He'd been shot. The proof was right there, in bright red on his arm, but the thought just didn't compute. Instead of cooperating with Clem to help her save his worthless ass, he just sat there, dazedly staring at her. She didn't seem to notice the fact that his mental faculties had completely shut down, frantically trying to get his coat sleeve off and watch for hostiles at the same time.

"I… I've been shot." he finally managed to say.

"It's okay, Gabe. It's not bad. It's-" she stopped abruptly as she looked up at him, noticing his distress for the first time.

Temporarily abandoning her struggle with his coat, she grabbed his face in both hands and gently forced him to look at her. It took several seconds and her calling his name twice before he was able to lock eyes with her. Still, she waited until he did before speaking.

"Listen to me, okay? Yes, you've been shot. But it's _not_ bad. I can treat it, even with no supplies. I just need to wrap it with something to stop the bleeding. It's _not bad_. You're gonna be fine, okay?"

Her words were spoken calmly and slowly, providing a startling contrast to the frantic noise around them and the burning pain in his arm. And while some part of his brain still wasn't connecting properly, the steadiness of her voice and the warmth of her hands against his face helped him ground himself to reality. Swallowing thickly, he nodded at her, mumbling a choked affirmative response.

"Okay. Good. Now, I need you to help me get your coat sleeve off."

Receiving another nod in response Clementine once again took ahold of his coat sleeve, gently but quickly tugging it down. Gabe fumbled in his attempt to help her free his wounded arm, becoming increasingly frustrated with himself, which only added to his mounting anxiety. After a few tense seconds, their struggle was interrupted by a familiar yet wholly unwelcome sound. Distant and mostly drowned out by gunfire, Clementine wasn't sure she'd actually heard anything at first. When she heard it again she froze, hands stilled with Gabe's coat sleeve half off, exposing his bloodied shirt. Her suspicions were confirmed but a moment later as someone screamed out a warning.

" _ **Walkers!**_ "

Cursing quietly, Clementine chanced a look around the tree and felt her stomach drop at what she saw. Walkers pouring in from the surrounding trees, no doubt drawn by the excessive noise in the clearing. Everywhere she looked people were being taken by surprise as the dead descended on them from seemingly nowhere, unable to hear their approach through the deafening sounds of the gunfight. Distant screams of distress told her that their unknown assailants were also caught unawares. She took some small satisfaction in that fact, despite how dire their situation had just become. Within mere moments the chorus of growls and groans had risen to join the ongoing ruckus around them. People abandoned their positions and made a break for the relative cover of the surrounding trees. It was _pure chaos_. Turning back to Gabe, Clementine quickly grabbed his left hand and placed it firmly over his still bleeding wound. The sudden movement snapped the boy's eyes away from the horrifying sight around them. Clementine's eyes were full of sharp focus when he looked at her, and he felt himself straighten up unconsciously from the sheer force of her gaze.

"Listen to me, Gabe. We can't stay here any longer. We have to make a run for it."

His eyes widened at her words and he opened his mouth to protest, but she didn't give him the chance.

"I know we're still under fire, but we'll just have to chance it. We have to leave, _now_." She lightly squeezed his left hand that she was still holding to his injury, and offered him a weak smile in apology. "Keep your hand there, okay? Keep pressure on it. I'm gonna try to grab our bags, and then we need to leave."

He almost did a double take at that. " _Are you crazy?_ They're still shooting at us! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"I'm gonna try anyway. Keep a lookout for me, okay? Make sure nothing gets me from behind."

Before he could respond in any way to that, she'd already turned from him and was readying herself by the side of the tree for what Gabe was sure would be a suicide run. Against his better judgment, he did as she asked. Keeping firm pressure on his arm, he swept his eyes around behind their position. For now, the area was free of muertos. If they were lucky, they just might be able to lose their attackers in the thick brush behind them.

After taking a few seconds to pick her moment, Clementine jumped out from behind the safety of the tree, quickly crossing the few feet to their abandoned bags. When she was close enough, she skidded to a stop, hastily reaching out a hand to grab the nearest one. When her fingertips brushed the top of the thick canvas material she was forced to jerk back as first one, then two bullets tore through the bag, followed by three more impacting the ground behind her. In a panic, she stumbled slightly, falling to one knee in the dirt as yet another bullet embedded itself into the tree where her head had been just a second before. For a brief moment, Clementine thought that this might be it. That she'd finally made her _last_ mistake. Everyone slipped up eventually. She was shaken from her thoughts by a series of unexpectedly loud gunshots to her left. A quick glance in that direction revealed Gabe rushing around the tree wielding the rifle she'd put aside to ensure her hands were free. With Gabe laying down a thick layer of suppression fire, Clementine made a beeline for the cover of the tree, grabbing him by the arm and jerking him down with her on the way. Cursing her stupidity as well as her failure, she took a moment to catch her breath and calm her frazzled nerves. _That_ had been a little _too_ close.

She was startled by the feeling of Gabe's hand on her shoulder. Chastising herself for being so jumpy, she turned to face him, making sure to school her expression so as to mask her fear.

" _Are you okay?_ You didn't get hit did you?!" He was obviously scared out of his mind, but at least he seemed to have snapped out of his shocked state.

"No, I'm not hit. I'm fine. Thanks to you." Somehow she managed a genuine smile, and was rewarded with one of his own, but the moment was over quickly. They still had to get out of there. "Alright, forget the bags. That was a _supremely_ bad idea. But we still need to leave."

"You're right," Gabe replied. "It's risky, but more muertos are still coming, we're sitting ducks out here."

As if in response to his statement, at that exact moment a walker came stumbling out of the brush in front of them, lunging at them a second later with a terrifying growl. Caught in a vulnerable position sitting at the base of the tree, the two of them were barely able to throw up their arms and legs in time to prevent the creature from tearing them apart. They struggled frantically for several long seconds under its dead weight as it thrashed and clawed at them. Looking to her right, Clementine locked eyes with Gabe, conveying a wordless message that he somehow seemed to understand. Nodding to her, he started a whispered countdown.

" _One_."

" _Two_." she whispered back.

" _Three!"_

With a simultaneous shout, Clementine and Gabe kicked out at the walker's midsection with both legs as hard as they could. The combined force was enough to propel it several feet away from them, where it landed with a sickening thud. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Clementine jumped to her feet, grabbed Gabe's hand and made a run for it. As soon as they were no longer hid behind the tree, they were immediately a target. Bullets ripped through trees and brush around them as they ran, but they payed them no heed. As long as they kept moving, they'd have a chance at getting out of this alive.


	3. Monsters in My Head

Chapter 3 – Monsters in My Head

It took only seconds for their attackers to lose sight of them amongst the trees, but it felt like a small eternity. They continued to run long after the bullets stopped coming. Until the deafening roar of walkers, gunshots, and screams was but a distant echo. They ran until their sides ached and their lungs burned. Finally, when she couldn't run anymore, Clementine slowed to a stop, Gabe stumbling into her and knocking them both to the ground in their shared exhaustion.

" _Sorry_." he gasped out between frantic breaths.

She waved off his apology, unable to draw enough breath to speak at the moment. They lay there for several minutes, each trying to get their breathing back under control. The quiet of the surrounding forest was welcome, but strangely eerie in the wake of what had just transpired. It felt unnatural. After a few moments, Clementine realized that it _was_ unnatural. All the animals and birds had been scared off when the shooting started. Shaking off her unease, she was the first to pull herself together. Sitting up, she reached out a hand to Gabe, which he gratefully took, and pulled him into a sitting position. His coat was still hanging off one shoulder, and the blood from his injury had turned the upper part of his shirt sleeve a deep red. Getting right to work, Clementine removed Gabe's coat the rest of the way and ripped his shirt sleeve completely off, tearing it up into salvageable strips and discarding the blood-soaked portions. Luckily, he'd opted for a long-sleeved shirt that morning, so she had plenty of material to work with.

As she worked, Gabe got his first real look at his wound. A deep gouge in the flesh of his upper arm, exposing muscle and tissue, framed by torn edges of skin, and a steady stream of blood making its way down his arm. Now that the adrenaline was fading from his system, the pain was catching up with him. A deep, burning ache. Gabe had never really been squeamish at the sight of blood, but somehow this was different. He'd been _shot_. There was practically a hole in his arm! They were stuck out in the middle of nowhere all alone, with some crazy assholes out there trying to kill them, not to mention a herd of muertos, and he was bleeding from a hole in his arm! What were they going to do? What if he bled out before they found help?

He was startled back to reality by the feel of Clementine cleaning the blood off his arm, then wrapping the torn strips of his shirt around his wound, winding them tightly but gently. She was so focused, so calm, so efficient, despite the hopelessness of their current situation. She wasn't letting fear or uncertainty stop her from doing what needed to be done. He, on the other hand, had been completely useless so far. These were qualities that he had always admired about her, but right now, it was just really pissing him off. Didn't she ever have moments like the one he was having right now? Like the one he'd apparently _been_ having since that horrible night Pipo had died? How was she always so sure of herself? Why couldn't he be more like her? What ever gave him the idea that someone as perfect as Clementine would ever even look twice at someone like him? And why was he thinking about something so stupid at a time like this? He even fucked up in is own head. He just could not win. A small part of his brain that was still functioning properly warned him that he was letting his anxiety and anger at himself dictate his thoughts. That he wasn't really mad at Clementine. But that small part was drowned out by much louder thoughts of self-loathing and fear.

"What the fuck are we supposed to do now!" he shouted suddenly.

Startled slightly by his unexpected outburst, as well as the anger in his voice, Clementine paused from her work and looked up at him uncertainly. His eyes spoke volumes. He was scared, and angry. Most likely at himself. She knew the feeling well.

"Well, first I'm going to finish bandaging your arm. We can talk about the rest when I'm done." She tried to project calm with her words, but was sure she wasn't succeeding. Lee had had a real gift for that, but unfortunately, it was one of the many things that she had failed to learn from him.

Despite his desire to unleash his frustrations, Gabe felt some of his anger fade at that. He just couldn't be mad at her when he was actually looking at her. None of this was her fault, and she was doing everything in her power to help _him_. And he was going to repay her by, what? Yelling at her? Just because he was scared? What the _fuck_ was wrong with him? That sounded just like something his dad would do…

 _Oh._

Guilt washed over him so heavy in that moment, he swore he could actually physically _feel_ it. Followed by a rush of memories he'd thought were long forgotten. Raised voices from across the house. Muffled arguments heard through walls. Slamming doors. Silence at the dinner table. The tension so thick, it was suffocating. Mariana clutching her beloved stuffed animal on the bed. His father sitting alone in the dark late at night. Stumbling upon Kate crying in the bathroom. _That look_ in his father's eyes. The things his father had done with The New Frontier. The horrible way he'd treated Clementine. _He took her son away from her_. The way he'd beaten Javi, his own brother, to a bloody pulp, and showed no signs of stopping if Clementine hadn't _shot_ him. He wasn't even sorry afterwards. The terrifying drive through the herd. Gabe pleading with his father. _"Please Dad, just listen to me for once!"_ The crash. The muertos closing in. The awful, _awful_ noise. His father, turned, lunging at him. The sickening crunch as he'd bashed in his father's skull with the first thing he could get his hands on. He'd never have to see that look again. He'd never get to see that look again.

Clementine jerking his arm suddenly slammed Gabe back to his senses. His eyes were wide and his breathing labored as he looked at her. His wound had apparently started bleeding heavily while he was zoned out, leaving her to frantically remove the now soaked dressings and attempt to apply pressure to stave it off. Her hands were steady, but her expression spoke of worry. His throat was suddenly far too dry. When was the last time he'd had anything to drink? He couldn't remember. His chest shouldn't feel this tight, he was sure. It shouldn't be this hard to breathe. He felt lightheaded. Was this the blood loss? Was he losing his mind? Was he going to die? Would Clementine have to bash in _his_ skull now? It only seemed fair. Like father, like son.

"Gabe!"

"Gabe!"

" **Gabriel!** _"_

The sound of Clementine frantically screaming his name finally penetrated the dense fog of panic that had enshrouded him. Her hands were clutching his shoulders in a desperate grip. She'd been shaking him and he hadn't even noticed. He locked eyes with her urgently, finding genuine fear there, but a fear that was quickly being overtaken with relief now that he was looking at her. Gradually he became aware of his own short, frantic breaths, and the sweat sticking his shirt collar to the back of his neck.

" _Oh, thank God!_ " Clementine exclaimed. "You scared the shit outta me! Are you alright?"

Swallowing a painful lump in his throat that refused to go down all the way, Gabe attempted a coherent response. "I… I'm… I'm _bleeding!_ " It's not what he'd meant to say, but it was all he could manage at the moment.

"I know, I know! I'm taking care of it. Look, I promise it's not that bad."

"That's what you keep saying, _but look at it!_ " He immediately felt guilty for raising his voice, but despite his best attempts, his anxiety had gotten the upper hand in this fight.

"Gabe! Calm down! It's just a graze!"

" _Just a graze?!_ Are you fucking crazy!?"

"Alright, granted it's a _deep_ graze, but it's still just a flesh wound! It didn't hit anything important. The bullet's not still in there. As far as gunshot wounds go, this is pretty much the best you could hope for. You're gonna be alright, okay?"

"Oh, so I suppose you're just an expert on gunshot wounds then." He knew he was just being petty now, but dammit _everything_ was pissing him off at that moment.

"Well, actually… Yeah. I am."

That stopped him in his tracks. It was less what she'd said and more the _way_ she'd said it. And suddenly, it hit him. Clementine didn't think his wound was that bad because she'd had _much worse_ and survived. It should've been obvious, he supposed.

"You mean… You've been shot before?" he asked, almost afraid of her answer.

"Yeah."

"What? _When?_ "

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly calculating the time that had passed since the incident. "Maybe a couple years ago, I think. Long before I knew you."

She said it so casually. Like she was commenting that the weather was going to be a little humid that day. Meanwhile, he'd been freaking out like a two-year-old. Shame reared its ugly head, quickly taking the place of his anxiety. What a monumental idiot he'd just been. He couldn't imagine what she must think of him. He didn't want to know what she must think of him. But he knew what he thought of himself.

Clementine wasn't sure what did it, but at that moment she could actually see all the fight leave Gabe's body. He slumped forward slightly, staring forlornly at her, his mouth half open but producing no sound. Deciding to take advantage of his sudden change in demeanor, she picked up the strips of cloth she'd dropped earlier and resumed treating his wounded arm. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on with him right now, but she was no stranger to the effects of stress and panic attacks. She just hoped she'd be able to get him back on track soon. This definitely wasn't the best place for a breakdown.

As she held a wad of shirt material firmly against his arm, Gabe shifted slightly and cleared his throat loudly. She chanced a glace at his face, noting his much calmer expression and his now even breathing. She offered him a small smile of reassurance but it didn't seem to help. Removing the soaked material, she leaned forward to inspect the wound up close. Satisfied that the worst of the bleeding had passed, she gathered up what remained of Gabe's shirt sleeve and began re-wrapping his arm. The silence between them was suffocating. She'd have given anything in that moment for him to say something dorky to break the tension like he usually did. She always teased him about it but honestly, she found it strangely cute. Sometimes she wasn't sure what to do with that feeling. Attempting to break up the dreadful atmosphere herself, she opted for a bit of humor. He always seemed to appreciate that.

"Look on the bright side. At least you'll get a cool scar out of all this." It was a lame attempt sure, but she wasn't exactly at the top of her game at the moment.

"Since when are scars cool?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wished he could take them back. Clementine's hands froze, resting against his upper arm. The thin material of the wrappings did little to reduce the warmth of her touch. He quickly looked at her, hoping it was just a coincidence she had stopped at that exact moment, but she wasn't looking at him. He followed her gaze downward to her hands. Specifically, the missing finger on her left hand. Against his will his eyes traced a line from her hand down to the long, jagged scar that ran the length of her left arm, visible beneath the bunched up material of her jacket. His mind further tormenting him by supplying images of the large, swirling burn mark he knew was hidden beneath that jacket. The moment had barely lasted a second, but it was the most agonizing second of Gabe's entire life. By the time he was able to get his mouth working again, Clementine had resumed her work.

"I guess they aren't." she said quietly.

If he hadn't already felt like the biggest asshole on the planet, her words definitely would've done the trick.

"That's not what I… I didn't mean-"

"Relax, Gabe. I'm not that sensitive."

Normally, no, she wasn't that sensitive. But for some reason when _he_ said it, he had hurt her feelings. She could deny it, but he knew it was true.

 _Great going, Gabriel. That's what, the fourth time today you've been a total ass to her. Goin' for some kinda record here or something?_

He'd never felt so low in his entire life. He royally fucked everything up today. And not just the mission. In fact, right now the mission was the last thing on his mind. He'd ruined his friendship with Clementine. One of the most important relationships in his life. Really now, how long did he expect her to just sit there and take his shit before she got sick of him? He'd pushed things too far today, he was sure. All he'd ever wanted since the day he met her was for Clementine to be happy. And yeah it would be pretty cool if he could be a part of that happiness. He wanted to be a part of that happiness. But apparently he was incapable of maintaining a healthy relationship with anyone. His dad had had that problem too…

And he was right back where he started. He just couldn't get away from it. Javi and Kate had tried, but now he knew. He would never get out from under the shadow of his father. The man had been a real asshole true, even though it had taken Gabe a long time to see it, but at least he'd been a _useful_ asshole. His father had real skills. He'd contributed. Gabe didn't do anything. Except get in the way. He had all of his father's bad traits and none of his good ones. None of his mother's traits, either.

The awkward silence stretched on as Clementine finished applying the bandage to Gabe's wound, and continued as he mumbled a quiet but sincere thanks and slid his arm back into his coat sleeve. For several long moments they simply sat across from each other, staring at the ground. Although there was barely two feet between them, in that moment the distance felt impossible. After a small eternity, Clementine finally gathered up enough courage to look at him. His expression was completely unguarded, baring his soul for anyone who cared to look. He was still scared, she could tell, but the dominant emotion in his eyes at that moment was _sorrow_. She'd never seen someone look so broken down. And she'd seen _a lot_ of broken down people in her time. She felt her heart break for him. He didn't deserve this. She knew she should be saying something now, or at least insisting that they get a move on, but her mouth stubbornly refused to obey her commands. For the hundredth time, she found herself wishing she wasn't so terribly inadequate when it came to maintaining relationships. Then again, she'd always been a terrible friend, so why should things be any different now.

"I'm sorry." Gabe finally said.

Only two words but they carried the weight of all his guilt, all his shame, all his anger, and all his failures.

"It's okay." Clementine assured him.

"No. No, it's not. It's not okay at all."

With a heavy sigh, Gabe finally lifted his gaze from the dirt to the girl in front of him. She was starting at him intently, a nervous aura about her. She shifted about anxiously, almost as if she couldn't decide whether she should sit still, or move toward him. But most importantly, she didn't look mad. Gabe thought she should definitely be mad at him, but she just looked worried. About _him_. Even after how awful he'd been to her today, she was still looking out for him. He didn't deserve a friend like her. If they were even still friends after this. Regardless, he couldn't leave things like this between them. Closing his eyes tightly, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When he felt ready, he once again fixed his eyes on hers.

"There's… There's no excuse for the way I've acted today. There's no excuse for the way I've treated you today."

She looked ready to protest to his statement, sitting up straighter and opening her mouth, but he held up a hand and shook his head to stall her. "Please. Just let me finish."

Slowly, she settled back down and closed her mouth, nodding slightly to him. She didn't look happy about it, but for now it seemed she would honor his wishes. Briefly turning his eyes skyward, Gabe took a moment to regather his thoughts before continuing.

"I'm just… I'm _scared_ alright? I'm fucking _terrified_. And I'm mad. I'm mad at myself, and I'm mad that I'm scared and… Sometimes I just _don't know_ what to do with that." He paused briefly, struggling to turn the twisting, confusing thoughts in his head into actual words. Part of him wanted to stop talking. There's no way he could make this situation any better, no matter what he said. But he wanted to be honest with Clementine. He owed it to her.

"I just really wanted to get this right, ya know? I wanted to be _useful_. I wanted to prove to Javi and everyone that I wasn't a failure. I wanted to prove to you that… That I'm worthy to be your friend. But I fucked everything up, _just like always_." To his horror, he felt tears welling up in his eyes as he spoke. Unable to bare her reaction, he turned his face away from her in shame.

After a few seconds, Clementine quietly spoke. "What are you talking about? You didn't fuck anything up."

Turning back towards her in surprise, Gabe rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his hand. "Yeah, I did."

" _No_ , you didn't. What happened wasn't your fault. No one could've predicted it. And you did fine out there today."

He almost couldn't believe his ears. Had she not been paying attention to anything he'd done that day? " _Fine?_ I didn't do _fine_ , I didn't _do_ anything!"

"Yes, you did." She sighed. "Gabe, look at me." Her words were spoken calmly, but firmly. She waited until she had his complete attention before she spoke again. "You did _exactly_ what you were supposed to do. You stayed put. You didn't needlessly run out into the line of fire, unlike _someone else_ sitting here right now. You returned fire without wasting bullets. You were scared, hell, you were _shot_ , but you didn't let that make you do something stupid. And you saved my life.

" _I'm_ the one that fucked up, and you were there when I needed you. Even though you were scared, you didn't hesitate to rush out into a literal storm of bullets to save me. That's not _nothing_."

Her eyes were impassioned and her tone one of quiet intensity. And in that moment, something clicked with Gabe that he hadn't considered before. From her perspective, he really _hadn't_ messed up. She didn't think he was a failure. Only he thought that. The revelation almost floored him.

"I… I guess I just didn't see it that way."

She smiled slightly at that. "I know the feeling. Sometimes it's really hard to look at yourself and think that you're good enough."

"What? How could _you_ possibly think that you're not good enough?" The concept was so absurd to him, he couldn't even wrap his head around it.

"I dunno," she said, looking a little unsure as she did. "Maybe… the same way you do?"

He found he didn't have a response to that. Slowly, almost shyly, he felt himself smiling at her. A weight he didn't even realize he'd been carrying lifted off him when she smiled back. He let the moment linger for a few seconds, before he felt the need to possibly ruin it.

"I didn't mean to yell at you. And I definitely didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'd never want to do that. _Ever_."

"Gabe, it's okay. No, really, it is." At his disbelieving look, she elaborated. "What? You think I can't take a little rough patch in our friendship? You think I've never been so scared or so mad at myself that I've lashed out at someone who didn't deserve it?"

That took him by surprise. "Well… Honestly? Yeah. I mean, I've certainly never seen you like that."

"Maybe I'm just better at hiding how I feel than you are."

Again, he didn't have a response to that. "Well, I'm glad I haven't ruined everything with my stupid attitude. But that doesn't make what I did any less wrong. I don't have any excuses. Only an apology. I'm _so sorry_ , Clem." A deep sigh. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Her response was immediate. "Of course I forgive you, dork."

He looked relieved, but also a little sad. "I wouldn't forgive me."

His words were mumbled, and she's pretty sure she wasn't meant to hear them. She'd always known Gabe had some serious self-image issues, but to honestly think she wouldn't forgive him just because he'd been a bit of a dick? Then again, she supposed she should've expected this. He'd been surprised that she'd come after him when he'd left Richmond with his dad. Like he'd expected everyone to just move on and forget all about him without even trying to save him. That had never sat well with her then, and it didn't sit any better now. With a determined scowl, Clementine closed the distance between them and gripped his shoulders firmly with both hands. He looked up at her a bit startled, his questions dying on his tongue when he looked in her eyes.

"Listen to me. You are a _good person_ , Gabriel García. _The best_. You're sweet, and kind, and thoughtful. And yeah you've got a bit of a temper, but who doesn't? You always put everyone else before yourself, and you genuinely _care_ about people. That's a hard thing to do in this world. You're smart, and much braver than you think you are. You are a wonderful person, and I'm glad to call you my friend. Never doubt that, okay?"

The look on his face broke her heart all over again. And, if she was being honest, kinda pissed her off. Had _no one_ ever told him how wonderful he was before? Or was he just so shocked and oddly awed to hear _her_ saying these things. She winced inwardly at the thought. She didn't mean to be so harsh all the time, but it just kinda came naturally at this point.

"I'm not brave." There were a thousand and one things he wanted to say at that moment, but somehow, Clementine telling him he was brave was the one thing he just couldn't get past.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, unconsciously removing her hands from his shoulders.

"Because I'm always scared."

" _And?_ Gabe, you can't _be_ brave if you're _not_ scared. Think about it. Someone who rushes headlong into danger and isn't scared at all, they're not brave. They're _stupid_. Or at least, totally out of their mind. Being brave is hard, and it's not hard if you're not scared."

When she said it that way, it made sense. Then again, Clementine had a way of making everything make sense to him. "I never really thought about it that way before."

"Yeah well, you've got a pretty weird way of looking at things." She cringed slightly as she said it. It had just slipped out, but she wasn't sure if they were back to the point where they could poke fun at each other again.

"Shut up." He was smiling as he said it, the kind of smile he always had when they teased each other, and instantly all her anxiety about the future of their relationship evaporated.

They sat staring at each other for a few precious seconds. The silence this time blessedly free of all the tension from before. Turning his head slightly, Gabe attempted to nonchalantly wipe the growing wetness from his eyes.

"Are you crying?"

"No! _Youareshutup_."

She laughed quietly at that. It was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

"You want a hug?" she asked.

"I always want a hug."

She said it jokingly, but was only too happy to comply. Almost in unison the both of them leaned forward and eagerly wrapped their arms around each other tightly. With a relieved sigh Gabe buried his face in the space between her neck and shoulder, smearing a few tears on the side of her neck in the process, no longer feeling ashamed of them. He felt a brief thrill that settled into a comfortable contentment when she did the same. The movement tugged painfully at his injury, but he payed it no heed. Nothing could possibly ruin this moment.

Unconsciously griping the material of his coat in her fists, Clementine felt her heart rate increase at his close proximity, her cheeks coloring slightly in response. Why she was having such a reaction to a hug, she had no idea. Surely she hadn't become _that_ reclusive.

 _Oh, come off it. You **know** why._

Shoving that thought far back into the recesses of her mind, Clementine settled comfortably into his embrace, drawing strength from his warmth. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, allowing all her stress and worry to seep out with it. They no doubt had a long, dangerous journey ahead of them. She _needed_ this moment.

They stayed that way for some time, just feeling each other breathe and listening to the muted sounds of the wind in the trees around them. When the time felt right, Clementine slowly released her hold on him, waiting until he did the same before pulling away completely. All traces of fear and guilt were gone from his expression, and in their place was one of the brightest smiles she'd ever seen on his face. She couldn't resist smiling back, her heart warming at the sight.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, ya know." he said.

"Now that's just sad." she replied with a smirk.

"No, it's not. It's _awesome_." Somehow, his smile became even brighter.

"Dork."

Sighing lightly, she straighten up, fixing him with a serious look. "Alright. I hate to be a downer, but we really need to get moving. I'm not even really sure where we are anymore, so I have no idea how long it'll take us to get back home."

"Right. So, what's our first move?"

"Well, I think we should circle back around and try to find the rest of our group."

His expression changed subtly at her statement, displaying his uncertainty.

"I know it's dangerous," she continued. "but I really think it's best that we hook up with the others. But, if you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

He thought about it for a few moments before responding, his expression set. "No, you're right. We should try to find the others. We can't just abandon them out here."

"Okay then. Now, before we get going I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me."

Sensing the seriousness of whatever she was going to ask, he sat up straighter, giving her his full attention.

"I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but… I _need you_ here, Gabe. So… Are you good?"

"Yes. I'm good." His reply was instant, no sign of hesitation or uncertainty to be found in his eyes. That was good enough for her.

Nodding to him, she stood to her feet, wincing slightly at stiff legs after so much time spent in the same position. When she was sure she wouldn't topple over from the added weight, she reached out a hand and pulled Gabe up alongside her. He swayed a bit once he was on his feet, and she grabbed him with both hands to steady him. He hadn't lost _too_ much blood, but she'd need to keep an eye on him just to be safe. The moment passed quickly, leaving him feeling slightly embarrassed.

"How's your arm?" she asked.

"It's okay. Sorry I freaked out about it so much." He scratched the back of his head in his ever increasing embarrassment, inadvertently displacing his hat. With a frown he reached up and pulled it off, leaving his sweat-soaked hair sticking out wildly in all directions.

A muffled chuckle brought his attention to Clementine, biting down on her bottom lip to contain full on laughter at the sight of him. Gabe raised an eyebrow at the odd face she was making.

"What?"

"You look ridiculous." she managed through barely contained giggles.

"Geez, Clem. I know I'm not exactly handsome, but that's a bit much."

"No you dork, _your hair_." When he just stared confusedly at her, she elaborated. "It's sticking up all over the place!"

She could practically see the light bulb switching on in his head. " _Oh!_ "

Reaching up, he frantically attempted to pat his hair down to a respectable state, but only succeeded in making it worse. Unable to contain her mirth any longer, Clementine dissolved into laughter, only just managing to keep the noise level relatively low to avoid attracting unwanted attention. She knew now wasn't really the time for such things, but she just couldn't help it. Gabe's face reddened, his embarrassment having reached peak levels, as he redoubled his efforts to tame the unruly mop he called hair. After several seconds of wasted effort, he threw up his hands in frustration, wincing as the sudden movement pulled at his wound. Holding a hand loosely against his injured arm and clutching his beanie in the other, he stood there angrily pouting at her as she continued to laugh.

"Are you done?" He glared at her for added effect.

Making a valiant attempt to curb her amusement, she held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. But trust me, if you could see yourself you'd be laughing too."

He doubted that, but anything that made her smile was a win in his book, so he couldn't be too upset about it. Taking pity on him, Clementine crossed the few steps of space between them, reaching a hand out toward his head. She paused, looking to him for permission, which he granted with a slightly sheepish nod. Gently, she ran her fingers through his hair, not at all fazed by how sweaty he was, gradually coaxing it back into place. She was concentrating on his head and not his face and for that he was immensely grateful as he felt heat rushing to his cheeks for what felt like the millionth time that day. His heart jumped up in his throat when she leaned in slightly on tiptoes in an attempt to get a better view, unknowingly reducing the space between their faces to mere inches.

 _Just be cool. You've already made a big enough ass of yourself for one day. Besides, this isn't the time to get all flustered. In case you've forgotten, we're still stuck out in the middle of nowhere._

 _But God, she's beautiful._

Completely unaware of his internal battle, Clementine took a step back to examine her work. Gabe was finally able to breathe. Satisfied that he no longer looked like he'd stuck his finger in a wall socket, she held out her hand towards him, gesturing at his hat. He handed it over with only a marginally anxious feeling. Bunching it up in her hands and stretching it out a bit, she reached up and slipped it over his head, taking a moment to adjust it to her liking. Stepping back completely out of his space, she gave him a final once over and a nod of approval.

"Thanks." he said shyly. And he meant it, he was just having a hard time shaking off the effects of her face having been so close to his.

Desperate for a distraction, he went to retrieve his rifle only to realize that he'd left it behind when they'd made a run for it. A quick glance around revealed that Clementine's rifle had likewise been forgotten back at the tree. He felt his heart sink slightly.

"We left our rifles."

"Yeah," she said with a resigned sigh, reluctantly swallowing her disappointment that their moment of levity was over. "That was my fault. We might be able to go back and get them, but I'm not sure if it'll be worth the risk. I wasn't planning on going back to the actual battle site. Anyone who survived will have fled by now."

"No, I definitely don't think we should go back for them. The muertos are probably still there..." he trailed off before he finished his thought. He didn't need to. They both knew the only thing that kept the dead in one place was fresh corpses.

"Don't worry, Gabe. We'll be fine without them. We still have our pistols and our knives. And we have each other. We'll get through this."

He smiled. "Yeah, I know we will."

Nodding to him, Clementine turned to survey the area around them, trying to ascertain which direction they'd come from. It wasn't too hard to figure out. They'd made an awful mess of the surrounding bushes in their haste. She took a moment to be thankful that their attackers were unable to pursue them through the swarm of undead.

For the next several minutes the two teens discussed the direction they believed would be their best bet for finding the survivors of their group. The way they'd come from was a good starting point, but as was already decided, they didn't want to accidentally stumble back into a field of feeding dead. When their plans were settled, the two set out in the agreed upon direction, Clementine taking the lead.

"We need to be careful now that we're on the move." she said as they walked. "Those assholes are still out here, no doubt gunning for us, not to mention the muertos. I think it's safe to say this area is probably thick with them."

"Yeah. We need to-" Gabe blinked in surprise. "Did you just call them muertos?"

Clementine stopped mid-step, groaning quietly. "…Shit."

"Ha! You _did!_ " Gabe's voice was triumphant.

With a sigh, she continued walking. "Oh _great_. You and Javi are starting to rub off on me. _Fantastic_."

"Ha! _Good!"_ he said, only just remembering to keep his voice down. "You can't make fun of me for calling them that anymore if you're gonna start doing it too!"

" _Oh no_ , one less thing that I can make fun of you for. _Whatever shall I do?_ Oh gee, that only leaves me with, what? Five hundred thousand other things?" She grinned wickedly at him over her shoulder.

"Oh you're just _so hilarious_."

"Yes. Yes I am."

Rolling his eyes, Gabe fell into step behind her, watching their rear for threats. Despite the seriousness of their situation, he found all his earlier fear had dissipated. He and Clem would get through this, and their relationship would be stronger for it. And maybe, if he was lucky, he'd come out of this whole thing a little bit wiser.


End file.
